Matthew Nathan

Professor Haque

Nov. 6, 2018

Sex is a topic that most people do not enjoy talking about because it makes

them uncomfortable; however it is a common theme in theatre. The three musicals

Spring Awakening, Hair, and Avenue Q all have an aspect of sex in the story.

However, they all portray it differently. Because of these different styles of

showing it, the audience is left with a different kind of feeling in each. Spring

Awakening and Hair adopt an artsy kind of route and use sex as a symbol of peace

and romance. Avenue Q, a funny piece, goes the complete opposite way. Even

though there are different ways of portraying sex, musicals still teach the audience

about sex. The musicals I talk about here all leave the audience with an important

lesson about what the impact of sex can be.

These three musicals could not be more different. Spring Awakening follows

a group of young, German children in the nineteenth century. The two

protagonists, Wendla and Melchior, have fallen in love. However, they do not

know anything about love because all information is restricted from them. They

end up having sex in the Act One Finale and do not realize what they are doing.

Because of this, Wendla gets pregnant and dies in an improper abortion. Spring

Awakening has two acts, with eleven scenes in act one and ten in the second. The
play Hair is about a tribe of hippies who love and live their lives as they wish.

Claude, the protagonist, cannot decide whether he would like to join the tribe. All

around him, his friends are touching and kissing, and he debates between going off

to Vietnam to fight in the war, or stay in New York and join his friends. This

musical is much longer than Spring Awakening, with twenty eight scenes in act one

and twenty three in the second. These two shows discuss serious topics; Avenue Q,

on the other hand, is very comical and rather silly. Many of the characters are

puppets, similar to Sesame Street (Thomas). The story revolves around Princeton, a

recent college graduate, who is trying to find his purpose. Along the way, he meets

many friends who help him to find that very purpose. He falls in love with Kate

Monster and they end up together in the musical. This production has twelve

scenes in act one and eleven in the second (Avenue Q). So even though all three of

these musicals have totally different stories, they all give important messages about

having sex safely and consensually.

Parents commonly feel uncomfortable to “talk” with their children about

sex, so if they have the opportunity to go to the theatre and be educated there, why

would they

not? Going

to a show

is a way to
enjoy oneself and also learn a lesson. Spring Awakening goes as far as showing the

horrors of what may occur if unsafe sex is practiced. This is imperative for children

to see because it puts the fear in their mind of what may occur if they are not safe.

Each year, 700 women die as a result of pregnancy, so seeing this impact will aid

in making sure sex is safe (Pregnancy-Related Deaths). In this production, the

children do not know what this intimacy is and are just experimenting with their

bodies. However, since the parents do not elaborate on what this action actually is,

the result of this is death and fear. If this musical did not portray sex, then the

audience would not learn anything. The very first time I saw this musical, I was

fourteen and did not know what it was about. After the conclusion, I left feeling

informed and joyful at the same time. The play may introduce sex in a frightening

way, but it makes one think and urges one to create change. Because of this, the

show is so successful and audience members are informed. The effect results in the

audience feeling knowledgeable about sex.

Hair, an artistic, hippy musical shows how sex does not have to mean what

society wants it to. Everyday in society, one hears how if you have sex with

someone who you aren’t married to, it is sinful. This play states the exact opposite

of that ideal. The characters state that love is free and can be shown the way the

audience member wishes (Hair). The message that the audience gets from this is

that one doesn’t have to go with the flow with sexual intimacy. Being yourself and
having no regrets about it is imperative and this show leaves the audience feeling

confident. The audience needs to hear this message because what society thinks is

correct, may not actually be what is correct. The finale of act one shows the

characters stripping to nudity to show the power of the human body. This is not a

sexual act; it is a symbolic act of empowerment. The hippies live freely and have

no cares. So even though this act is not a sexual one, it still tells the audience to

love their body, a message many people need to hear.

Some musicals portray sex in an artsy way. Others may just show sex on

stage as it is. The other people take the complete opposite approach. Avenue Q is a

musical that many would call “Rated R Sesame Street” (Thomas). The show uses

puppets to show real life situations in a manner that is no where near appropriate

for children. The message of this musical is to find ones purpose in life; so even

though it is a silly and wacky comedy, it still contains an important message that

the audience needs to get. There is a whole puppet sex scene that is very comical,

but still has the element of consent, thereby telling the audience to always use

consent and make sure the other person is comfortable in the situation. Consent is

so essential these days, especially with the “Me Too” movement going on. It is

very common to hear stories about people who had sex forced upon them, a

practice that needs to end. Silly musicals that are meant for fun are the perfect

means to teach this lesson. Some claim it should be obvious, myself included;
however, some people do not comprehend consent. So going to see a fun-loving

musical is a simple way to learn about it.

Musical theatre is a field that has a myriad of styles and genres. Sex is a

recurrent theme in musicals. It is imperative for people to become educated on it

because without it, they may never be informed. Some shows, like Spring

Awakening, display what the effects of not being educated about sex can be.

Suicide or death in itself are likely to occur if action is not taken. Another example

is to love your body and do with it whatever you please. In this modern day and

age, people are constantly telling others what to do with their body, but if you live

freely, like they do in Hair, you will feel more confident and gleeful. Practicing

consent is one of the most important topics, too. Avenue Q portrays that and

reminds the audience to always make sure that the sexual acts are being done with

the consent of the parties involved. Sex is a topic that is so uncomfortable to many

people, so having these outlets that can inform one is a wonderful way to become

educated while having a wonderful time.

Works Cited

Adults-only Revisit to the ‘Street’." Chicagoland Musical Theatre. N.p., 28 May

2018. Web. 18 Nov. 2018. Web.

Avenue Q. The New Group Producing. 2003. 18 Nov. 2018. Web.

Disease Control and Prevention, 09 May 2018. Web. 18 Nov. 2018. Web.

Hair. Notoma Producing. 1968. 12 Oct. 2018. Web.

League, The Broadway. "IBDB.com." IBDB: Internet Broadway Database. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2018.

"Reproductive Health." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for

"Why Sex Education Is Important." Stay Teen. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2018.

Spring Awakening. Atlantic Theatre Company. 2006. 25 Sept. 2018. Web.

Thomas, Erika. "Metropolis’ ‘Avenue Q’ Provides an R-rated and Hilarious